陰間 Underworld
by snakebuttt
Summary: Successfully captured by the Red Lotus as a child, Korra is sent to open the spirit portals and begin the process of a New Age, only for the plan to go awry. Now Korra, five years old, is left stranded in a world that's not her own; the Spirit World.
1. 我們遇到了一個暴風雨的夜晚

**Chapter 1 - 我們遇到了一個暴風雨的夜晚 (We Encountered One Stormy Night)**

-Wǒmen Yù Dàole Yīgè Bàofēngyǔ De Yèwǎn-

With the sun already setting into the early afternoon, Korra could do nothing but sigh from her window. There had been forewarnings of an oncoming ice storm, and as eager and impatient as she was to go out and practise bending in the snow, her mother had forbidden her to leave the fortified igloo that she called home.

Ominous grey clouds were obvious in the sky, even after dusk had set. Her mother wasn't wrong, she knew, but she still held fire in her veins that she urged to release. Indoors wasn't suitable for play nor bending.

It had been almost an entire year since she had been announced as the newest Avatar, and she was thrilled to have such an exciting destiny. She only wished it gave her special permission to go out and practise, which sadly, it didn't.

The thick furry tiger seal hides that were strewn against the window were warm and comfortable; Korra couldn't help but nuzzle her nose into the rubbery skin that sheltered her home from the cold. She watched outside for any sign of her father, who was due to come back any moment with dinner. Whilst she would never wish any danger to befall her dad, a sliver of thought hoped that he would get caught in the storm, just so she could have a reason to escape into the icy frontier outside.

A silhouette caught her by surprise as it climbed through the snow and into view; Korra bounced to her knees, propping herself up properly to view out of the window.

"Dad's back! Dad's back!" she chanted, turning her head to yell towards her mother. Senna wandered into the room, drying her hands with a cloth as she approached her daughter.

"It's about time," she huffed, a smile present on her face as she joined Korra to peer through the window. She squinted, as if she struggled to see, so Korra pointed to the approaching person. Looking up, she noticed Senna's smile form into a thin line.

"That doesn't _look_ like Tonraq," she muttered to herself, but the way she leaned into the window made it appear like she was struggling to see beyond the dark. A knock at the door startled both of them; they looked away in alarm.

"I'll be right back," Senna hummed, giving her daughters head a light stroke before playfully dumping the cloth onto her. Korra scoffed, pulling the fabric off of her head, watching her mother open the front door. She offered an awkward hello to the guest, and Korra turned back to the window –

Only to let out a sharp gasp; a woman she didn't recognise was staring straight back at her, uncomfortably close to the window. Spidery black hair framed her face, and shadowed eyes were accompanied with a sharp smile.

"Uhh, hello?" Korra asked, momentarily startled. The woman's smile only grew wider.

"Hi there," she replied, glancing over Korra's shoulder. A muffled cry was heard behind her, Korra turned back towards the door to see her mother on the ground, catching her fall with her elbows. A man towered over her, and Senna released a sharp kick to his shin. Realising their intent, she called out to her daughter.

" _Korra, run_!"

"What's going o-" A stream of water encased her face, engulfing her mouth and dragging her body outside the window. Her screams were muffled against her restraints, panic flooded her body and Korra kicked against the torso she was pressed against.

"I got her!" the woman cried, "Let's go!"

They charged off into the cold; her assailant racing along behind her, whilst Korra fought uselessly against the water trapping her. The water was icy against her bare skin, and she wasn't appropriately dressed for outdoor venturing. Korra felt her teeth chatter from the touch, taking back her wish of wanting to escape the house. _This wasn't what she wanted at all_!

The man following caught up, panting, "Give her to me – you get us a quick escape!"

The water around her rippled slightly, as if tense, before her hands were engulfed in ice and she was tossed unceremoniously to the man. She let out a sharp cry at the stinging ice at her wrists, face now free to look around better. The woman who had caught her had water for arms, and was bending the snow beneath their feet to make a temporary sled. The man holding her jumped on, and they were hastily thrown through the snow into the unknown.

Korra whimpered, looking up at the man holding her steady. From her position she could see traces of tattoos peeking above the hem of his shirt around his neck, his face rough and set. He almost reminded her of her dad; strong and intimidating. But he wasn't her dad, nor was his grip the least bit comforting, and she realised with a jolt that her dad had no idea she wasn't at home. _And her mother…_

"Let me _go_!" Korra yelled, squirming against her kidnapper. He grimaced at her shout, unable to cover his ears with his hands busy, whilst the woman scoffed over her shoulder at them.

"Brilliant job Ghazan, can tell you're a natural with the kids!" she yelled over the ghastly wind that was beginning to pick up.

"Oh hush it and get us to Zaheer," he shot back. Korra noticed the tips of his ears had turned red, and his nose wasn't far behind, probably not used to the cold. At least he was better dressed than she was; Korra was _freezing_! The ice around her wrists trickled slightly from her own heat, and she wiggled her arms uselessly against it, hoping she could reach some movement to waterbend herself free.

Unable to use her arms, she had the next best thing. Wiggling within Ghazan's grip, she kicked her legs out and fire erupted from her toes, earning a surprised yelp from the man. The temporarily sled skidded off course momentarily, before the driver stabilised herself and hissed, "Control her already!"

"I'm _trying_! Ugh, kid quit squirming alright we're almost there – WOAH!"

Korra continued kicking small bursts of flames erratically, hoping the heat would melt off her restraints. One of the flames hit too close to Ghazan, who stumbled backwards in surprise, his grip loosening considerably. With one more kick, he let go and she fell into the surrounding snow, rolling to a stop whilst the transport carried on trailing away.

 _It was so cold!_ The clouds hadn't even began to pour, and yet Korra felt like she was going to freeze over! Her feet weren't even covered! She stumbled up onto her feet as fast as she could, hearing the sled approaching once more, and let out the loudest cry she could.

"SOMEBODY HELP – _PLEASE_!"

Nothing but white surrounded her. Not even the lights of her town were visible in the darkness; how far had they travelled already? She hoped her voice would carry further with the wind, before icy water gripped at her once more, hoisting her into the air, " _No_!" she screamed, watching with fearful eyes as her captors caught her once more.

Ghazan rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh, watching Korra dangled upside down by the women's water limb, "Geez Ming-Hua, she's almost as difficult as you!"

Ming-Hua sent him a sharp scowl, bringing Korra close and held her in front of Ghazan as if she didn't want to touch her, "Either you start _waterbending_ us out of here, or keep her still while I _actually_ provide an escape."

Ghazan chuckled at the threat, grabbing Korra once more, holding her arms and legs down to stop her from lashing out, "Well, I'd have been glad to earthbend us away, but it's not my fault this place is literally _nothing but ice_!" Suddenly he grimaced, looking down at Korra, "Yeesh, the kid's freezing. If you stop struggling, I'll let you have my coat; how's that sound?"

Korra blinked, looking up at Ghazan in surprise. Was he really trying to be nice to her after he pushed over his mother and took her away against her will?

"Let me go _right now_! My dad will be so mad! He'll beat your butts! _I'll_ beat your butts!" She screeched, adamant to free herself. Ghazan oofed at an elbow colliding with his rib, before he groaned, "Ugh, I tried. You're right Ming-Hua, I'm really not good with kids."

Ming-Hua released a sharp bark, but focused on transporting them to safety. It took only a few more minutes of struggling before Korra began to settle. She was so cold; her limbs burned and her digits had begun to prickle in pain. She felt so stiff, the many warnings of frost bite rang in her head like a stuck record.

She felt sick. Was she going to die? She didn't know how long it took to die, but the hurt she felt was the worst she'd ever had to endure. Her stomach was hollow from worry. What was to happen to her mother and father? What was to happen to herself? She was the Avatar, shouldn't she be able to handle this sort of problem? But she was still new to this; the past year had only been used to introduce her to the history of her past lives and the responsibilities that came with it. She hadn't begun any actual training, they had told her she would be going to a compound to train within a few months.

Ghazan must have noticed her limp form, because the next thing Korra realised was that she had been wrapped up in the inside of Ghazan's coat, pressed tightly to his chest. She wanted to fight back, but she was numb, and the coat was so warm it hurt.

Korra sank her face into the fur trimmings across the coat lining. She was tired. She was hungry. She probably ruined the family dinner her dad was supposed to be returning to.

Idle thoughts passed through her head as her body began to catch up with itself. It took her a few minutes of gazing around with bleary eyes before she realised she was no longer in the snow. She must have dozed off without realising, and shot up in alarm.

Her surroundings were damp stone walls and puddled flooring; she was still in Ghazan's coat, only this time without a Ghazan. A fire was lit a few metres away from her, and she rubbed her eyes wearily. Where was she? In a cave?

The fire nearby crackled audibly, smoke and ash billowed above and set into a murky haze by the cave ceiling. Korra grimaced; obviously the person who had made the fire had no concept of ventilation. Her dad had taught her all about survival; how to build snares and traps, how to create a fishing spear, and how to set up a campfire. The one built next to her was a hazard if she had even seen one.

She swallowed the tickle at the back of her throat, worried about her parents. Her dad was going to let her go fishing with him next week. She had been so excited to catch her first tiger seal (despite her father warning that she was much too young and was only allowed to watch – she was positive she would have been able to get one herself). She wondered why she was alone; hadn't she been kidnapped? Where was she?

Glancing around, Korra noticed that the cave was small and rounded. Was it a polar-bear-dog burrow? She had heard they could carve out stone with little effort, and she pulled Ghazan's coat onto her body, wrapping the arms around her neck like a cape. She needed its warmth, but it was much too large to wear.

Her fingers traced along the wall as she paced around the fire, making sure not to get too close and risk setting her new coat alight. A sharp dip was found at the other end of the wall, the burrow leading off into a curved path, presumably leading to the exit. Korra was about to turn the corner and escape when a looming figure strode in, stopping short of almost kneeing Korra in the face. She screeched, racing back to the dipped stone she had awoken on and hid behind the rock. She peered over, giving her best glare.

Only to realise that the person was neither of her kidnappers. Instead, a giant woman was in their stead, her hair unkempt and strands peeking out from her fluffy hood. A bizarre tattoo of an eye was drawn in the centre of her forehead, and the woman looked at Korra uncertainly, as if not sure how to approach her. Instead, she headed for the fire, reaching for a stick and prodding the cinders to keep it burning. Korra grimaced at the lack of safety from the fire.

"Oi," Korra started, her voice faltering slightly when the lady looked her way, "Whuh-who are you?"

The woman pulled her mouth into a thin line, her attention focusing back on the fire, before she responded, "P'li."

 _P'li huh_? Korra wondered why she wasn't talking. She was such a large intimidating figure, but Korra found her much too quiet. At least her kidnappers were chattier. A thought suddenly occurred.

"Did you rescue me?" Korra asked, maybe a little too much hope evident in her voice. P'li blinked, looking surprised, before breaking off into a weak smile.

"I suppose in some ways… _Yes_ , we have."

Korra stood up from her hiding position, a grin squishing her cheeks, "Great!" she made her way over to P'li, startling the older woman, who tucked her legs as close as she could to her body. Korra seemed oblivious, pacing next to her.

"This is _great_! Are we waiting for some guards? Maybe we should stand outside the cave so they can spot us! Did you beat those guys up? I guess I can forgive your terrible camp fire skills since you saved me and stuff."

P'li scoffed, humoured, " _I_ have terrible camp fire skills?"

"Well, yeah! Look at it, you haven't even cut it off with any stones or checked where the smoke can leave. We could choke if we stay here for too long!"

P'li looked at her thoughtfully, humming, "I'm not going to lie. I've never really had to consider those before. How do you know all of this anyways?"

Korra crossed her arms proudly, puffing out her chest, "Because we water tribes were born for survival!"

Voices could be heard travelling down the cave exit, and both P'li and Korra turned to watch Ghazan walk into the burrow. He was talking to someone behind him out of view, but stopped mid conversation when he noticed Korra staring at him.

Korra gasped, backing herself into the end of the cave. Her fists were put out neatly in front of her face, the closed end of her palms erupted into a neat flame. It turned faintly blue by the tip, wielded like tiny knives.

Ghazan's companions began to gather behind him, all trying to fit into the cave, whilst P'li rolled her eyes. Stepping forward, she gripped her hand tightly, and Korra's flames diminished; causing her to glance at her hands in alarm.

" _Born for survival_ , huh?" P'li hummed, looking more humoured than before. _How had her flames gone out? Was P'li-_

"That is enough Korra," a familiar voice startled her, stealing her attention towards one of the men approaching her. She sucked in a shallow breath, recognising him.

" _U_ - _uncle Unalaq_?"

Familiar in all appearances, her uncle looked more than displeased at her. She lowered her fists hesitantly, before letting out a shuddery breath. She had met her uncle only a few times, all before the news of her Avatar status and the introduction of White Lotus guards across her village. His last visit had allowed her to meet her new twin cousins, who were much smaller and little than she.

"I have been informed that you've been acting difficult recently, causing a lot of trouble for us," Unalaq shook his head sadly, looking more than disappointed. A breath of wind traced against her ear, too faint to acknowledge, but managing to send a chill down her spine all the same. _Something wasn't right_. Korra struggled to find words, her mouth gaping, before she finally found her voice.

"I-I-I haven't done anything! Why are you with mean people? They-they did nasty stuff!"

The group of people were now all blocking the small exit, exchanging awkward glances at each other. The only one moving was Unalaq, who had approached Korra and was looming over her small figure.

"You fire bent towards Ghazan earlier, and once again in here. And he had even given you his coat. You owe him an apology."

Flames creeped up Korra's neck and threatened to close her throat. _Was she feeling guilty_? Wind whispered against her skin once more, urging her out of her stupor.

" _N-no_! He pushed my mum over! And then he took me away!"

Unalaq scoffed, "You and your imagination, Korra. You always were quick to accuse," he knelt down beside her; Korra took a couple steps back and crossed her arms stubbornly," yet you are misinformed. Ghazan didn't knock your mother over. She simply fell over in surprise; she wasn't expecting guests."

Korra rose her eyebrows in surprise. _Was that what had happened_? It seemed plausible; Korra knew just how easy it was to slip in the environment, she had fell onto her behind more times than she could count, but her mother had been terrified. She remembered the distraught scream she had called out to her mere hours ago. _Unalaq was wrong_ , she knew it. A slight whistle against her ear almost sounded like it agreed. ' _–Ren'_.

"No," she hissed, refusing to look at her uncle or those watching the conversation. She didn't know how to put her feelings into words, she was only five, but it wasn't right. " _No_!" she repeated, a little harsher towards the wall. Her voice bounced across the cavernous walls.

A harsh exhale was heard behind her, before Unalaq hummed, "Very well. Until you become a reasonable avatar and learn to apologise for your mistakes, you won't be getting any dinner. Everyone else, come along. We have to wait for the storm to settle before we continue with our journey."

Korra peered over her shoulder to watch the adults gather towards the fire, a bald man Korra didn't recognise took off his backpack and began passing rationed goods out between each of them. He glanced almost piteously towards her, before Unalaq muttered something too quiet for her to hear and he looked away swiftly.

The only thing keeping Korra grounded to the corner was her stubbornness. She could faintly smell the goods that were being eaten, and the smell mixed with the tinge of smoke from the fire and made her tummy roll uncomfortably. She was so very hungry; dinner had surely been served hours ago.

 _Was it served? What were her parents doing right now? Why hadn't the White Lotus guards stopped this? Why was she here? And why was her uncle here?_

It seemed only Unalaq had the answers her mind craved, and although she felt rather mad with him, she did trust him. Hesitantly, she stepped towards the fire. P'li noticed her approach and with a flick of her eyes, the entire group turned to face her. She stopped, feeling intimidated by them all watching her. Unalaq looked particularly smug for some reason.

Raising her shoulders and taking a deep breath (" _Never show fear towards people," he dad once told her, "You have to give the impression that you are in charge. Be as intimidating as a polar-bear-dog; no one can't fight a polar-bear-dog_.").

' _-Ren.'_

"Why are we here?"

Unalaq looked displeased, " _That_ is not an apology Korra."

Korra tried to keep her stance, but gripped her wrist uncertainly. She tried again.

' _X...Ren.'_

"Why am I not home?"

Unalaq sighed audibly, "Korra," he warned, "You won't be getting anything from us until you apologise for your vile behaviour. It is simply disappointing for an Avatar to be acting in this manner."

Korra visibly flinched. _Vile_? Was that how she was coming across? She looked down to her cradled wrists. Her skin was tinged pink from ice burns. She sucked in a wobbly breath, feeling her eyes start to water. Refusing to let her tears fall, her shaky voice announced, "I- _she_ should say sorry first!"

Her fingers pointed accusingly towards Ming-Hua, who looked more than unimpressed, "She _marked_ me! An-and it still _hurts_!"

Ming-Hua rolled her eyes, but Unalaq hummed quietly, "Fair enough. Ming-Hua, apologise."

"Sure," she hissed, glancing down at the child, " _Sorry_."

Korra gripped her wrist tighter. _That hadn't sounded the slightest bit sincere or nice_! But Unalaq deemed it enough, as he looked at Korra expectantly.

"Um, sorry," she muttered to Ghazan. He gave a weak smile, about to say something, before Unalaq interrupted.

"How was _that_ a suitable apology?" he scowled sharply, Korra looked down in embarrassment as she felt a tear drip down her face. She didn't _want_ to be crying, _a polar-bear-dog wouldn't cry_ , she told herself.

"Apologise for what you did. Tell him what you were wrong for."

To her surprise, the other adults looked just as shocked towards Unalaq, who ignored their stares with ease. Korra decided to get it over with quickly, but her voice cracked and she felt her nose begin to run.

"I- _I'm sorry_. I'm sorry I kicked at you, and-and I fire bent at you. Sorry."

Her tears fell uncontrollably from her cheeks, and she pawed at her face in a pathetic attempt to stop them. Broad fur-covered arms wrapped around her figure, lifting her up softly, and for a moment she had thought she was in the embrace of her father. But it was Unalaq's voice who hummed against her, cradling her against his chest. She decided that Unalaq was family and that was close enough, and she sobbed into his coat, wrapping her arms around his form.

Quiet praises could be heard from his whispers, and for a brief moment she thought that whatever strange guilt had formed on her shoulders had been released from her figure. The wind died down around her into silence, almost quelled by her uncle's voice. Above her, Korra didn't notice the smug grin that Unalaq gave the rest of the group, as he hummed, "Very good. That is how an avatar is meant to be."

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Translation:**

 **\- Bīng Bào (冰暴) – ice storm**

 **\- Xiao Ren (小人) – someone destined to harm you**

 **Edit: I cut the original first chapter into 2 chapters - I decided it was far too long and probably put people off. Also by shortening the chapter lengths I can update faster (somewhat)**


	2. 極光

**Chapter 2 - 極光 – (Aurora)**

\- Jíguāng-

It had only taken a few minutes for Korra to calm down, and she sat slumped beside her uncle, munching on a ration bar. She had never had one before, and it was ridiculously bland, but it stopped her stomach from rumbling, and for that she was content.

Whilst she was busy eating, Unalaq had taken the opportunity to introduce his team. Already familiar with P'li, Ghazan and Ming-Hua were addressed properly, and the bald man who had provided food was introduced as Zaheer. They all seemed out of sorts how to act around her, so she hovered close to her uncle, most familiar with his presence. Unalaq appeared to be the leader of the group; he was currently explaining their intentions. Whispers were lingering around Korra's head, but she shook them away, more curious of her uncle's intentions.

"- so you see Korra," he continued, "We decided that the White Lotus were only trying to contain your power, and lock you away to use your abilities for their own selfish purposes. We wanted to allow you to obtain the knowledge and responsibility of a true avatar, and help you bring this world back into balance."

Korra finished her last bite of her bar, fighting the urge to lick her fingers clean, "I thought we _were_ at peace? How is the world not balanced?"

Unalaq smiled, "I'm glad you're asking these questions. It's the avatar's duty to have interest in the world's troubles after all. You see, long ago, a past avatar divided the physical world and the spiritual world, and separated the ancient spirits of light and darkness. We aim to reunite the worlds and reconnect the spirits to create a New Age. Where mighty spirits and humans can live in harmony, as was intended."

" _Woah_ ," Korra whispered in awe, wiping her hands against her baggy nightwear, "I've never met a spirit before; what are they like?"

Unalaq curled an arm around his niece's shoulders, pulling her in for a soft hug, "I wouldn't be able to say for certain," he mused, looking afar like he was remembering a personal joke, "but wouldn't it be nice to find out for yourself?"

Ghazan excused himself from the fire, walking towards the entrance to check on the condition of the outdoor storm. Its winds were howling down the tunnel, echoing its loud and ferocious speeds. Korra was glad they had found such a place to take refuge within. She hoped her parents were safe from the weather.

"Um, Unalaq?" Korra hummed, catching his attention, "Are you _sure_ that my parents are okay? When I was ta- _when I left_ , mum was really upset."

Unalaq scoffed, "There's no need to fret Korra; your parents grew up on the belief that the White Lotus were doing the right thing. We had asked them to consider our much more effective methods, but they absolutely refused. Your mother only reacted the way she did because she was so adamant on sending you away to a solitary compound. When she sees how much progress you've made on balancing the world, she'll come back to her senses."

Korra hummed, pulling her newly adopted coat across her shoulders. She hoped what Unalaq was saying was true, but doubt was still heavy in her stomach, the wind loud and sharp in her eardrums.

' _-ao Ren.'_

There was that sound again. Korra had been hearing whispers in the storm, carrying words she did not know. Maybe her ears were playing tricks on her? It felt like it was important though, despite her doubts.

Ghazan stepped back into the cave, shivering as he approached the fire, "That storm is absolutely _insane_. I feel like it might set a new storm record or something. Hey, maybe we should name it or something! I'm feeling the name… _Bīng Bào_."

Korra snorted into her ( _his?_ ) coat, "… _Bing Bow_?"

Ghazan smiled, looking relieved at the loss of animosity, "No no, not _Bing Bow –_ _ **Bīng Bào**_. It means Ice Storm."

Zaheer rolled his eyes, "That isn't the least bit creative."

"Oh come on! You know it sounds good! People will remember this storm for years to come."

"Oh yeah," Ming-Hua rolled her eyes, "look out everybody, it's the dreaded _Bing Bong_ coming to doom us all."

Korra laughed out loud, Zaheer and Ghazan releasing light chuckles alongside her. Glancing around at the smiling adults, Korra decided that her uncle must have been right. Surely she had just been eager to judge, because they didn't seem so bad. Maybe this _was_ what she was destined to do.

"We should review our next step after the storm passes," Unalaq interrupts, watching the team's faces morph back into serious expressions, "we'll be short on time; as soon as those gales die down, the White Lotus will also be free to scout for us. We're going to continue heading south until we reach the Ancient Forest. Within there, we can find the Southern Spirit Portal.

"Korra, this will be your first mission as the Avatar. Only you have the power to open that portal. Will we be able to entrust you with this mission?"

Korra puffed out her chest, saluting proudly, " _Yessir_! I'll be the best avatar and fix the world!"

"Good," Unalaq nodded, "then let's get prepared to leave at a moment's notice."

* * *

 _Bīng Bào_ had lasted well into the evening, but had begun to lessen by the early hours of dawn. The sun was still hours away from rising when the group decided to set out for the Southern Spirit Portal.

With Ming-Hua steadily pumping away at the surrounding snow and ice, the group huddled together on the makeshift sled, occupying themselves with small talk throughout their journey. Korra didn't know how long the trip would take, but she had to admit that her uncle's friends were becoming good company.

Despite the storm having long dispersed, Korra could still hear the breeze talking to her, thrumming incessantly. It almost appeared to becoming clearer and louder the closer they came to their journey's end, yet Korra was still uncertain what was being said to her. She wished it would shut up.

' _X-ao-n.'_

Gritting her teeth, Korra asked, "I know only I can open the portal, but how do I do it?"

Zaheer and Unalaq gave her a blank stare, and Korra wondered if she had somehow not been clear enough, "Like, do I have to _ask_ it? Is it like a door? What am I supposed to do?"

"You're the avatar, Korra," Unalaq responded rather sharply, "You should be able to figure it out."

Korra scrunched her nose in irritation; _that wasn't helpful at all_! She couldn't just know how to do these things, right? She was supposed to be taught.

Zaheer gave Unalaq a lasting stare, before talking directly to Korra, "I may not be able to give a fool proof guide to opening the portal, but I consider myself to be a spiritual man. Maybe I could help you."

Korra pretended she didn't see Unalaq's displeased expression, and shuffled closer to Zaheer, "Yes, please!"

"Well," Zaheer sat back, contemplating, "I was taught by the ways of Guru Laghima. He was a powerful airbender; they are considered to be the most spiritual of all humans."

"Like Aang!" Korra quipped in helpfully, suddenly glad for her past year of reciting avatar history. Suddenly she dropped her gaze in disappointment, "But… I can't figure out airbending. I haven't started training yet, but I can control the other elements a little already. But I'm not sure on how to airbend."

"Do not worry, young Avatar," Zaheer smiled, sympathetic, "You're training will begin shortly with us. I'm sure with a little guidance you will be able to airbend in no time. Guru Laghima himself recited that you must let go of your earthly tethers to become wind. Even though I am no airbender, by following his words I have been able to empty my mind and sense spiritual energy. Maybe by connecting with the spiritual energy around us, you might be able to pry the portal open."

Korra hummed, "If it's run on spiritual energy, wouldn't _you_ be able to open it?"

"Korra," Unalaq interrupted, disgruntled, "We have already explained that only the avatar can open the portals-"

"But _why_?" Korra exclaimed, balling her fists to her sides in frustration. _Her uncle was so confusing! He wouldn't explain things properly!_

Unalaq rolled his eyes, and Korra folded her bare feet under her coat, trying to focus on something that didn't involve shouting at her uncle. She wished her dad was there instead; at least he was good at explaining things.

P'li surprised Korra when she responded instead, "We were told long ago of a human who split two ancient spirits apart. One was the spirit of light, Raava, and the other, the spirit of darkness, Vaatu. Neither can exist without the other. Raava, the spirit of light, helped create the first avatar. Blessed by her spirit; the avatar has a spiritual connection that no one else can replicate. We think this is why only you can do this."

Korra smiled a P'li gratefully, glad that she sounded so sure of herself. Her uncle's friends seemed a lot friendlier than her uncle.

"So," Korra thought aloud, "do I just… _Ask_ for Raava's help? Would it open the portal for me?"

Zaheer and P'li looked at each other, before Zaheer responded, "I don't think you understand quite yet, but that's fine. We will teach you more about this as we progress."

Korra sighed, but didn't argue. At least they were nice about it.

Gnarled woodlands began to pass the sled, causing the vehicle to swerve gently between the trees to avoid collision. The gentle hum of words began to form into a clear steady chant, pounding gradually into Korra's skull.

' _Xiao Ren, Xiao Ren, Xiao Ren-'_

" _Ugh_ ," Korra clutched at her forehead gently. For some reason everything was feverishly warm, despite being out in the snowy forest. The group looked at Korra in alarm.

"What's wrong?" Unalaq asked, looking concerned.

"What _is_ that sound?" Korra muttered glancing around the steadily moving landscape, searching for the source. _Was it the portal talking to her? Maybe the spirits_? She didn't know how these things worked.

"What noise?" Ghazan asked, peering around to identify whatever Korra was searching for.

"What is…?" Korra licked her lips, "What is a _shaowrin_?"

Zaheer, Ghazan and P'li froze at the sound; even Ming-Hua faltered in her waterbending. Unalaq seemed to be the only one out of sorts, irritatingly asking, "What in Vaatu's name are you talking about?"

The chanting seemed a little extra loud at the mention of _Vaatu_ , and Korra faltered, "I… It's – _oh never mind!"_ She hissed, forcing her hands to lower from grasping at her head and giving herself a vicious shake. _How was she supposed to explain it_? "It's _annoying_!"

"Guys," Ming-Hua interrupted, "We're here."

Trying to shake the voices out of her head, Korra raised herself out of the ice sled and squinted at her surroundings. The icy forest made way to a thin clearing of ice; the floor glowing dimly and encasing surrounding trees in an ethereal light. Korra's head was beginning to hurt. She wanted to go home.

Yet despite this, a certain calm spread through her once her bare toes touched the ground. There was warmth beneath her feet. As if the others were feeling the same energy, they began to strip down of their protective layers. Korra however kept Ghazan's coat on her shoulders, adamant not to leave anything. The sun had yet to rise, but the abnormal light gleaming from the ice kept the area illuminated and clear.

The group made their way over the ice, peering under each other's feet. Unalaq found the centre and tapped his foot impatiently, "Come Korra," he beckoned, "this is where you must open the portal."

Korra made her way over to her uncle, trying not to grimace at her inner voice. It was so _gobby_. It needed to shut up if she was to concentrate.

' _Xiao Ren.'_

Korra grumbled under her breath. Whatever was talking was out to spite her. Looking down at her uncle's feet, she could see the streams of light that soaked through cracks within the ice, glittering the floor like a frozen spider-rat's web. This was it, Korra knew. This was her first official job as the Avatar; she would bring balance back into the world, prove to her parents that she didn't need to be locked away in a compound, and they'd be so pleased that she ( _hopefully_ ) wouldn't be scolded for making them worried. This would surely show her parent's that the White Lotus were wrong.

Pacing lightly, Korra placed a curious hand to her chin. Just how was she expected to open the portal? She gave the floor a rough stomp; the ice reverberated into delicate echoes, but nothing else occurred. Could she waterbend the ice off perhaps? Glancing briefly at the group, Korra felt self-conscious. If this didn't work she'd look like a fool.

Widening her stance, Korra slid one leg behind her, exhaling as she pulled at the air with her hands. The ice underneath her melted into a docile stream of water, and held itself nervously in the air. Despite this, ice was still undisturbed across the clearing, frustrating Korra slightly. Only the top layer of ice could be altered for some reason. _Stupid spirit portal_!

Lowering the water to the side, Korra was at another loss. Everyone was depending on her! How else was she supposed to open it? She was tempted to keep hitting the cracks until it eventually gave away, but Korra didn't want to lose her temper in front of her uncle and his friends.

The whispers in her head suddenly broke off into a frenzied chorus, Startling Korra.

' _Xiao Ren Xiao Ren Xiao Ren_ _ **Xiao Ren**_ _ **-**_ _'_

What was-?

Something slammed into Korra's back, forcing her to the ground. Cheek pressed against the ice, Korra could barely see over her shoulder, but noticed the oncoming peak of an ice spike looming into her vision. Was she being attacked? Where had her friends gone?

The ice lifted itself momentarily, before crashing towards Korra's face.

"N- _no_!" She cried, her hands clawing desperately at the ground. _She was going to die, she was_ -

Fire erupted through Korra's torso, igniting up her chest and eating away at her collarbone. Power laced through her limbs, and Korra could feel every part of the threatening spear like it was her own limb. With nothing but a wave of her hand, she was able to scatter the weapon into harmless snowflakes.

The ground underneath her shifted, she branched her leg out and ice curled around whoever had her pinned and tossed them aside. Light danced from the surrounding ice, before audible cracks could be heard from below. The portal ripped itself open; Korra was on fire, everything was burning, her body was overflowing with energy, she could see nothing but white-

' _You idiot_!' a voice rang through her head, eerily calm within the expanse of white Korra was trapped within.

"Wh-what?" Korra looked around, desperate to see something, anything. She knew that voice.

' _I've been trying to warn you for hours! You must get away! Korra!_ _ **Pǎo**_!'

It was the voice talking to her from before!

"Wait!" she cried into the nothingness, "Who are you? What have you been saying to me?"

' _You insolent child, you must leave_!' it continued, _'You must not indulge with_ _ **Xiao Ren**_ _, you must save yourself!_ '

"I-I don't understand!" Korra grinded out, before the white was swallowed up, and Korra found herself back on the ground, by the ice and surrounded by trees.

 _What had just happened_? To her left, Zaheer, Ghazan, P'li and Ming-Hua gazed in awe, whereas her uncle was muttering to himself, brushing snow off of his shoulders.

Korra's body was still burning; she felt as if she were about to melt, before her stomach suddenly lurched. Jerking to the side, Korra released her stomach contents, retching into the snow. What was happening to her?

"Well," her uncle grumbled, "we could have done without you throwing me, but it'll have to do."

Unalaq strode over to Korra, forcing her to her feet by grabbing under her arms, "Congratulations Korra, you just entered the Avatar State."

Korra ignored the praise, feeling like she was going to throw up once again. What had he said? She had _thrown_ him? A single cold stone singed against the heat in her belly. _Unalaq had pinned her down_. _Her uncle had threatened her with a spear of ice_.

"And," he continued, oblivious to his niece's turmoil, "You also figured out how to open the Spirit Portal. Just look at it, it's simply marvellous. Now, let's continue with our mission."

Unalaq gave Korra a weak pat on the head, releasing her and heading behind her. Turning around, Korra peered up at the beam of light shooting towards the sky, squinting as she tried to locate the end of the geyser. _This_ was the Spirit Portal? It emanated a soothing pulse, almost inviting Korra to approach, but her thoughts were still heavy with premonition. The voice had warned her not to be here. _Her uncle had tried to hurt her_.

Taking a tentative step back, Korra spat out the foul taste in her mouth and backed off further. Unalaq noticed she wasn't following and turned around, confused.

"Come on Korra," he urged, "we must finish this mission before the White Lotus arrives."

"You," Korra rubbed at her eyes, feeling the strain of oncoming tears, " _You_ tried to hurt me."

Unalaq rolled his eyes, unamused, "I was hoping you would have known how to control your avatar powers yourself, but you failed to reach a quick conclusion to open the portal. I simply activated your Avatar State for you to help you along. _Honestly_ you should be thanking me, and apologising for hurting me, but we don't have time. Now let's go. We have to meet someone very important."

"No, I…" Korra gripped her arms uncertainly, looking away guiltily, "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home."

Zaheer spoke up from beside Unalaq, "We apologise for our extreme actions Korra," he began, "but we're at a loss for time. Please understand how important this is."

Korra exhaled shakily, hearing the unknown voice remind her softly one last time, ' _Xiao Ren_.' Closing her eyes and feeling a tear drip down her cheek, Korra gave a hesitant nod. She stepped towards the group, nervous. She didn't have a reason to trust the voice talking to her after all. And her uncle was right; his actions had opened the portal, even if it had terrified her.

Unalaq grabbed her hand, maybe a little too tightly, before pulling her along into the light. Her stomach completely froze over when he uncle proclaimed, "Let's carry onwards, _Red Lotus_."

* * *

Light engulfed itself around Korra's figure as she stepped into the portal. The group – the Red Lotus were nothing but silhouettes splayed across her vision; Korra could barely see her uncle's hand against her own.

The pleasant hum surrounding them lowered to a faint buzz, colours filtered into view and a bizarre landscape built itself around them with every step further they took. Eventually, the light dissipated completely, left as another gaping geyser behind them. Korra's palm was unbearably hot, crushed in the grip of Unalaq, but she was too scared to fight off his grip.

Following his lead, Korra glanced around at her surroundings. The spirit world gave her a thrilling sense of comfort and warmth, despite how vacant and ominous it appeared. Craggy rock land spiralled across a large plain of ground, interlocked with thin streams of water. Every direction was blocked by intimidating spikes of rock, encasing the group in a bowl-like structure. Korra grimaced with each step; her feet were still bare and no stone underfoot was smooth against her skin. She hoped Unalaq wouldn't drag her onto a particularly sharp pebble; her past experience with cutting skin on ice shards told her it was likely to hurt just as bad.

Within the centre of the crag held a gnarled twisted tree; no leaves were present on its branches, and it reminded Korra of the frozen trees from outside the portal. The Red Lotus were eagerly approaching it, guiding her through.

' _You… You were not meant to come here_.'

Korra jerked at the voice, clear as day within her head. Unalaq mistook the action as stubborn refusal to move, and pulled Korra roughly, holding his grip tighter. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying out.

 _I didn't want to come here_! She thought hopelessly, feeling her irritated wrists tingle at the pressure. She didn't exactly have a choice.

' _I know things seem hopeless, Avatar_ ,' the voice hummed, ' _but worry not. You have the strongest spirit in this world. The game is in your favour_.'

Whilst she was relieved the voice was no longer able to cause her a headache while it spoke, she did not want to hear it anymore. Korra didn't want to play any games anymore. She just wanted to go home.

' _Remember Avatar, the spirits are with you. They will help you if you ask. You must be ready_.'

She sniffled slightly, using her free arm to rub at her nose. She was so _tired_ , she didn't want to do what the voice said. She didn't want to do what her uncle said. She wanted her family back, her home, and her life. The White Lotus would have been nicer than this.

It took Korra a few moments to recognise that they had all stopped walking, having met the base of the lone tree. Unalaq finally released her wrist, and she cradled it to her chest, upset beyond belief. Both her dad and her uncle would be very upset with her, because she was moments away from screaming a tantrum.

But before she could bellow out a frustrated shriek, the Red Lotus all bowed down onto their knees before the tree, silent as they fell. Korra hoped they weren't expecting her to follow suit; she would have no part in scraping her knees when her feet were already aching.

" _ **Yáng**_."

An unrecognisable word reverberated across the plains, the world turning the slightest hint darker at its sound. Korra brought her gaze up the tree hesitantly, watching something large and dark squirm within the hollowed trunk.

She glanced down at the adults, watching as they sat on their knees and peered up at the threatening voice. Was it talking to _them_? Or to _her_? Korra took a hesitant step back, lining up with the Red Lotus members.

The ominous voice chuckled, " _I see your vessel still does not understand the voices of spirits, how shameful. How many bodies have you taken refuge in within the last 9,000 years,_ _ **Yáng**_ _? Or should I refer to you in a human tongue?_ _ **Raava**_ _, was it?"_

Korra was still unsure who the voice was talking to. Its sound rattled through her bones and chilled her to the core, yet her head continued to swing back and forth between her companions. _Did they know who was being addressed_? She didn't know _any_ of these names being mentioned.

Unalaq rose himself reluctantly on one knee, "Great and almighty Vaatu," he began, head low and bowed, "It is an honour to meet such an ancient spirit."

" _I'm well aware of who you are, Unalaq_ ," Vaatu dismissed him with ease, " _You've kept me plenty of eves company with your meditation_."

"Yes," he accepted, rising onto his feet and placing his hands onto Korra's shoulders, "and we have seen through with our plans and brought you the avatar, as we've agreed. She's opened the first portal and we shall open the next in preparation for your release."

" _You've kept your promise_ ," Vaatu hummed in contemplation, " _yet it is another 13 years until Harmonic Convergence releases me. Who's to promise that the portals will remain open and untampered with until then_?"

Unalaq released his niece and bowed dramatically once more, "Of course _we_ can swear on the order of the Red Lotus to protect the portals and keep them intact!"

" _Good_ ," Vaatu conceded, " _Then when I am finally free I can enjoy myself in tearing you out of that pathetic mortal body and bringing this world into darkness_."

Glowing red patterns squirmed within the dark mass, its glow piercing its gaze towards Korra. She felt a bead of sweat drip down her brow _. It was talking about her_.

Ghazan lifted himself up, confused, "Uhh, _Darkness_?"

He glanced questioningly at Zaheer, who followed and rose from his position, the rest following behind him, "Ancient spirit," he began, "we are intending to bring the world into former balance. Why would you destroy the spirit of Raava? Do we not need her for the perfect balance?"

An amused cackle made the earth quake briefly, " _Balance? I have been fighting with Raava since the beginning of time, and imprisoned for almost 10,000 years. Why would I want to return back to such a miserable life? No, I will return to the mortal realm and I am taking control. Both worlds will be at my mercy_!"

Zaheer narrowed his eyes at Unalaq, "This was _not_ what we agreed to."

"Do not question the morals of Vaatu!" he spat, facing the group in agitation.

"Have you turned against us?" Ming-Hua hissed, raising her limbs and shifting the tips into ice. Korra took a wary step back, eager to avoid getting involved.

' _Young Avatar_ ,' the voice in her head hummed softly, ' _get ready. Your time has almost come._ _**Pǎo**_ _.'_

Unsure of what was being asked, Korra quietly paced further away from the bickering adults. Vaatu laugh echoed around them.

" _How rude,_ _ **Yáng**_ _! Talking to your vessel but refusing to answer to me? I'm insulted_!"

"You dare turn against me?" Unalaq collected water behind him from the surrounding streams, deaf to Vaatu's words, "You're all traitors!"

"We're not the ones who are going against everything the Red Lotus stands for!" Zaheer hissed. P'li, Ming-Hua and Ghazan surrounded her uncle, arms tense and ready for an oncoming fight. Everyone was shouting over each other, Vaatu's amused laughter deafening the oncoming fight.

' _Avatar. It's time_.'

It was too _loud_.

' _Avatar! You must repeat after me_!'

Dark clouds were growing heavier by the second, encasing the tree in an inky blot of shadows. Vaatu's light glowed brighter with each laugh.

' _Korra_.'

Korra stilled. That was the first time the voice said her name.

' _Korra, breathe_.'

And so she did.

Her breath was louder than everyone's voices. Each breath muffled their agitation into white noise.

' _Good. Now, repeat after me_.'

She decided this was something she could do. "Okay," she breathed.

' _ **Pǎo**_ _.'_

"Pǎo _."_

Everyone ceased fighting. Korra watched as the Red Lotus members faced her in surprise, realising how far away she had taken herself.

"Korra? Where are you going?"

"Get back here!"

Nothing happened. _Why had nothing happened_? She screamed.

" _Pǎo_ _!_ Pǎo _Pǎo_ _ **Pǎo**_ _!"_

Her voice morphed out into something that wasn't quite her own, surprising her from her cries. She looked up to see her uncle rushing towards her, and realised with clarity exactly what she was saying.

" _Run_ ," she whispered in her epiphany, closing her eyes, " _I'm_ _ **going**_ _."_

Unalaq's palm reached out, ready to grab his niece before she fled, only to watch in horror as her form melted away into the atmosphere. His fingers grasped at nothing, his shock being the only thing to cease his frustration.

" _You pathetic humans really think you know what you're doing_ ," Vaatu cursed, " _your piteous quarrels humour me, and thanks to your idiotic ways, you've gone and lost the one thing we all needed_."

Korra was gone.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Translation:**

 **\- Bīng Bào (冰暴) – ice storm**

 **\- Xiao Ren (小人) – someone destined to harm you**

 **\- Pǎo (跑) – Run**

 **\- Yáng (陽) – Yang, light side of Yin and Yang, resembles positive and brightness (spirit of order and light? Raava's spirit name)**

 **Edit: I cut the original first chapter into 2 chapters - I decided it was far too long and probably put people off. Also by shortening the chapter lengths I can update faster (somewhat)**


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